Drying apparatus



vJan. 18, 1944. T. RuNALs WILLIAM 'TQUNALS Pnented Jan. `1s, 1944 f -nrtyiNG APPARATUS William T.

Firestone Tire Ru'nals, Akron,

& Rubber Company,

O hio, assignor to The Akron,

Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application January 23,1942, Serial No. 427,983.

(ci. :i4- 115) 6 Claims.

This invention relates to drying apparatus, and more especially it relates to apparatus for dryingaa moving vcontinuous web of material.

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 194,348, filed March 7, 1938.

The apparatus is of primary utility in the paper, textile and rubber industries for drying utility in the impregnation of tire building fabric preparatory to the application of a skim coating of rubber to the fabric bythe use of a calendering operationLor'in the impregnation and coating of tire building fabric with latex or other rubber or resinous compounds, eliminating the calendering operation.

A primary object of the invention is to provide improved. apparatus fordrying a continuous web of material.

Another object ,is to ratus having web-supporting means adapted to prevent fouling or marking the web.

Another object is to provide improved websupporting means for use in a drying apparatus.

A further object is to provide apparatus capable of eillciently drying latex-impregnated tire fabric without marking or otherwise disturbing the deposit on the fabric. The above and further objects will be manifest in the description of the invention v and in the accompanying drawing, in which:l

Figure 1 is a diminished view in perspective of an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary transverse sectional perspective view of web-engaging means shown in Figure 1; v

Figure 3 is a similar view of modified web-en.-V gaging means; and

Figure 4 is a diminished end view of the embod- `iment shown in Figure 1, as it appears in operation.

tal drum, preferably, innerair circulating means, such as arotating varie or paddles, is provided to circulate the drying fluid in the interior ofthe provide drying appa- The inventionv broadly' comprises improved drum. The rotatable web-receiving structure is provided with a plurality ofv web-supporting means on the peripheral surface thereof, said means being constructed and arranged to make substantially line contact with the web. An embodiment of the invention is a web-receiving means comprising a plurality` of web supporting bars of U-shaped transverse cross section. A modification of the invention is a web supporting bar or strip of water resistant material having low heat conductivity.,

Referring to the drawings, a web drying drum IIJ comprises a pair of axially spaced annular members II, II journaled on, and for rotation around, a shaft I2. A plurality of circumferentially spaced bars I3, I3 are connected to peripheral portions of the annular members II, II to span the space therebetween. Each bar I3 is U-shaped in transverse cross section, and is so connected to said members II, II as to'present the open portion of/said U outwardly from `the axis'of,the drum.

In the enlarged view of U-shaped bar I3 shown in Figure 2, it is seen that the legs 13a, i3d. of the U-shaped bar define a channel. The top edges of the legs I3a, I3a are relativelyv sharp so as to' make 'substantially line contact with the. web of material being dried upon the drum I6. The U-shaped bar or channel bar I3.is of suincient strength to support a moving web of material being dried, and may be made of any suitable material which is not deleteriously affected by moisture or the heat of the drying atmosphere.

In the specific embodiment of the modiiled web-'supporting means shown in Figure 3, a channel bar I3 is provided with afiiler strip I4, which is mounted in the channel formed by the bar I3. The flller strip has a raised portion 14a adapted to make line contact with a web of material supported thereon. The filler st rip Il is heldin the channel of bar I3 by suitable strips I5, I5 resting l I4 and connected upon the shoulders of filler strip bolts I6. in

to bar I3 by suitable means such as e 'The filler strip is composed of a suitable water resistant material having low heat conductivity in' order to prevent any appreciable amount of hea-t from flowing from the drumor strip into or onto theweb contacted by the strip. Suitable material for filler strip vI4 is Transite, a ce-L ment-asbestos composition, -or other water re-4 sistant material composed essentially of a fibrous material anda binding 'material and having a low heat conductivity.

Other materials,suitable for use in the ller strip I4 are heat-hardened-plastlc materials,

' such as hard rubber compositions and certain vphenol-aldehyde resin compositions adapted to withstand the effects of the dryingv temperatures utilized in and around the drying apparatus.

` In addition-to the speciiic embodiment of the web-contacting means shown in Figure 3, the inchamber. Therefore.

vention contemplatesother forms of water resistant web-contacting strips or bars o f low heat conductivity. The channel bar I3 may be replaced by any suitable rigid supporting member, and is for the purpose of.y imparting additional mechanical strength tothe insulating web supporting member, and in mounting said member on the drum.

In Figure 4 of the drawing the drum I0 is shown as it appears in operation, carrying a web I I of material to be dried on the edges of the channel bars I3, I3. Mounted on the outer surface of the back annularmember II is a pulley I 8. The drum I is rotated by means of a belt I9 passing around pulley I8 and driven by suitable means (not shown). Mounted within the drum I0 for counter rotation therewith is a vane 20, rigidly attached to the shaft I2. The 'back end of the shaft I2 is connected to a pulley 2 I, around which passes a belt 22, driven by suitable means (not shown).

The improved drying dru-m I0 finds important application in the type of drying apparatus broadly disclosed in said application Ser. No.

i 194,348, wherein a drlmi carryingch-annel bars I 3, I 3 is suitably placed near the input side of the drying chamber, or near the center thereof. Near the exit end of the drying chamber, there is suitably placed one or'more drums carrying web contacting members of low heat conductivity, such as filler strip I 4, mounted on supporting members I3.

It` has been found that as the web proceeds through the drying chamber and loses moisture content, its temperature progressively increases, and it becomes more sensitive to any `heat transferred to it by the web contacting portions of the drums when near the exit side of the drying it has been found particularly advantageous to utilize the novel insulating web supporting members near the exit end'of the drying chamber in order to prevent any fouling of the web or marking of any deposit thereon. This invention has been of` great value in the ru'bber industry when applied to drying tire fabric bers, means mounting said members for rotation about a common axis, a plurality of circumferentially spaced channel bars, and connected open side outwardly to peripheral portions of the annular members and to span the space therebetween, ller strips having low heat conductivity, said strips being mounted within the respective channel bars and having outwardly extending portions adapted for line contact with the web i transversely thereof and air circulation means .within the drum, said means comprising a vane with respect to the y to span the space therebetween, and strips of a impregnated with a. latex composition since such latex composition, and the rubber deposited on the fabric therefrom, is generally quite4 sensitive to the high temperature of the drums.

I Other modifications out departing from the spirit of the invention, which includes all features of patentable novelty residing in the foregoing description and accompanying drawing.

. I claim:

1.y In apparatus for drying a continuous moving web of material, a web dryingdrum adapted to receive and propel the web while simultaneously removing moisture therefrom, said drum comprising a pair of axially spaced annular members, means mounting said members for rotation about a common cumferentially spaced rigid supporting members connected to peripheral portionsof the annular members and to span the space therebetween, and strips of a water heat conductivity, said strips being mounted on said supporting members and having outwardly f extending portions adapted for line contact with the web transversely thereof.

2. In apparatus for drying a continuous moving web of materiaLa web drying drum adapted to receive and propel the webv while simultaneously removing moisture therefrom, said drum. comprising 8 D511' 0f may be resorted to with-v axis, -a piurauty of cn- 'v resistant material of low `ously removing moi Acomprising a pair of axially spaced annular members, means mounting said members for rotation about a common axis, a plurality of circumferentially spaced rigid supporting members connected to Vperipheral portions of the annular members and to span the space therebetween, and strips of a material of low heat conductivity, said strips being mounted on said supporting members and having outwardly extending portions adapted for line contact with the web transversely thereof, said material being composed essentially of iibrous material and a binding material.

5. In apparatus for drying a continuous moving web of'inaterial, a web drying drum adapted to receive and propel the web while simultaneously removing moisture therefrom, saidv drum comprisinga pair of axially spaced annular members, means mounting said members for rotation about a common axis, a plurality of circumferentially spaced rigid supporting members connected to and strips of a water resistant heat hardened plastic material of low heat conductivity, said strips being mounted on said supporting members and having outwardly extending portions adapted for line contact with the web transversely thereof.

6. In 4apparatus for drying a continuous moving web of material a web drying drum adapted to receive and propl the web while simultaneture therefrom, said drum comprising a pair ofaxially spaced annular members, means mounting said members for rotation about acomm'on' axis,a pluraity of circumferentially spaced rigid supporting members connected spaced annular mem- 76.

to and to span the space therebetween,

peripheral portions of the annular members and strips oi' a water resistant hard rubber -composition oi low heat conductivity, said strips being mounted on said supporting .members and having outwardly extending-portions adapted for line contact with the web transversely thereof.V Y

' f WILLIAM "1'. RUNALS.

drying a continuous movperipheral portions of the annular members Y `and to span the space therebetween, 

